Ball target comprising a hollow spherical chamber and tubes extending therefrom

ABSTRACT

A large hollow chamber has a plurality of hollow tubes communicating therewith and extending thereout. Each tube represents a different base ball condition such as strike, out, or a hit for one or more bases. Two players take turns throwing a ball into the chamber whereby the ball falls into one or another of the tubes.

United States Patent Neunier [151 3,656,750 [451 Apr. 18,1972

1541 BALL TARGET COMPRISING A HOLLOW SPHERICAL CHAMBER AND TUBESEXTENDING THEREFROM [72] Inventor: Albert E. Meunier, Pawtucket, R.l.

{73] Assignee: The Raymond Lee Organization, Inc., New

York, N.Y. a part interest [22} Filed: June 24, 1970 211 Appl. No.:48,976

[52] U.S. Cl ..273/l05 R, 273/26 A, 273/88 [51 Int. Cl. ..A63b 63/00[58] Field of Search ..273/95 R, 102 R, 103 R, 105 R,

273/1024, 26 A, 127 R, 127 D [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS1,371,867 3/1921 Dean ..273/l03 1,442,054 1/l,923 :Dixon ..273/l032,805,070 9/1957 Waters.....

1,531,455 3/1925 Russell.....

Doerr .::...273/95 a Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle AssistantExaminer-Marvin Siskind Attorney-Barlow & Barlow [57] ABSTRACT A largehollow chamber has a plurality of hollow tubes communicating therewithand extending thereout. Each tube represents a different base ballcondition such as strike, out, or a hit for one or more bases. Twoplayers take turns throwing a ball into the chamber whereby the ballfalls into one or another of the tubes.

2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 1 BALL TARGET COMPRISING A HOLLOWSPI-IERICAL CHAMBER AND TUBES EXTENDING TI'IEREFROM SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION In my invention, a vertically suspended hollow member has agenerally vertical opening and five generally downwardly and outwardlyextending hollow tubes open at the top, the top openings communicatingwith the inside or chamber of the member. One tube is identified as anout, another tube as a strike, a third tube as a home run, a fourth tubeas a double and a fifth tube as a single. When a ball is thrown from adistance into the chamber, the ball will spin around therein, fall intoone of the tubes and either roll out of the bottom open end back towardthe thrower or be collected at the bottom.

Two players take turns playing in accordance with the rules of baseballand scoring each throw in accordance with the particular tube throughwhich the ball passes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspectibe view of my game in use;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the structure of my game; and FIG. 3 is across sectional view of the structure of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to Figs 1-6,a hollow member has a vertical opening 12 exposing an almost sphericalinner chamber 14 with ball retainer zone 16 at the bottom of opening 12.Outwardly and rearwardly inclined support leg means 18 extend betweenthe member and the ground 20. Chamber 12 ad jacent l6 communicates withthe top open ends of downwardly extending coplanar spaced tubes 22, 24,26, 28 and 30 which terminate at a horizontal ball retainer cap 32resting on the ground. Tubes, cap and leg means support the member andare detachable.

When a ball 34 is thrown by a player 36 from a distance through opening12 into chamber 14, the ball spins around,

cannot escape because of the action of pocket or zone 16 and fallsthrough one or another of the tubes to cap 32. The cap can be flippedopen to release the ball or balls (since a plurality of balls can bethrown sequentially and collected before release). Tube 22 can belabelled out," tube 24 strike," tube 26 homerun, tube 28 double, andtube 30 single."

The ball or balls can be soft or rubber. The structure of Fig 2 can beconstructed of a sturdy plastic, either heat formed or injection moldedand suitable for mild outdoor weather conditions.

The game can be supplied with nine or more balls which when thrownconstitute one inning of game. A player must score his inning in thesame sequence as balls are pitched, much the same as a common baseballgame is played.

While I have described my invention with particular reference to thedrawings, such is not to be considered as limiting its actual scope.

Having thus described this invention, what is asserted as new is:

l. A game comprising a rigid wall forming a partly spherical undividedhollow body having an opening in generally a vertical plane with arounded bottom and an upwardly and forwardly curved back wall having apart spherical shape and a front wall extending upwardly of lessvertical extension than the back wall and having an inwardly extendingoverhanging lip from the front edge of said front wall, a plurality ofspaced downwardly directed tubes having open top ends extending intocommunication at spaced locations with the interior of said hollow bodythrough the bottom rounded portion of said wall whereby a sphericalobject thrown through said opening tubes to be conducted from the body.

2. A game as in claim 1 wherein said tubes serve as a means of assistingthe supporting of said body above a horizontal surface.

1. A game comprising a rigid wall forming a partly spherical undividedhollow body having an opening in generally a vertical plane with arounded bottom and an upwardly and forwardly curved back wall having Apart spherical shape and a front wall extending upwardly of lessvertical extension than the back wall and having an inwardly extendingoverhanging lip from the front edge of said front wall, a plurality ofspaced downwardly directed tubes having open top ends extending intocommunication at spaced locations with the interior of said hollow bodythrough the bottom rounded portion of said wall whereby a sphericalobject thrown through said opening will strike said arcuate wall and bedirected by the curved inner surface thereof to move from the paththrown about the inner surface of said body until the object reaches therounded bottom wall is received in the open top end of one of said tubesto be conducted from the body.
 2. A game as in claim 1 wherein saidtubes serve as a means of assisting the supporting of said body above ahorizontal surface.